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SALT LAKE CITY — A West Valley City man who police say caused a serious crash while fleeing from officers is scheduled to be in court on Tuesday.
Alexander James Ross, 32, is also believed to be one of the three men arrested in connection with a fight and shooting that injured two people near Exchange Place in Salt Lake City earlier this month. As of Monday, Ross had not been charged in connection with the shooting.
But according to charging documents, on Aug. 10, about 8:30 p.m., "Taylorsville police were pursuing a suspect wanted in connection to a shooting in Salt Lake City." The chase lasted about four minutes and continued about 2 miles, police stated.
Ross was driving a Dodge Challenger and going 89 mph on the Bangerter Highway when he tried to exit at 7000 South, "lost control, passed over the median into oncoming traffic and struck" another car, the charges state. A man and woman inside the vehicle were injured. The man was taken to a local hospital in life-threatening condition to be treated for "10 broken ribs, bleeding to the spleen which had to be removed, a fractured orbital socket, an aorta contusion, and a collapsed lung," and his "blood pressure was near cardiac arrest levels," charging documents state.
Ross ran from the crash scene and went inside a store at nearby Jordan Landing, where officers found and arrested him. In his wrecked car, police found vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana, ecstasy and drug paraphernalia, the charges state.
His arrest came several hours after a shooting just before 1 a.m. near 320 S. State Street. Police say a fight was reported at the On Top Lounge, involving documented gang members, followed by multiple gunshots nearby. A 24-year-old woman was injured in the shooting and was treated at a local hospital and released.
A man also suffered critical injuries, but little information has been released about him. Court documents state the man had nine gunshot wounds.
"He is expected to survive and remains in the hospital. His name is not being released because he is facing felony criminal charges in an unrelated, out-of-state matter," Salt Lake police announced last week.
Investigators say they are still trying to figure out if there was any connection between the initial fight and the shooting.
Police developed information showing the three men wanted in connection with the shooting may have fled in a Dodge Challenger.
Devin Bradley, 30, and Raymond Gallegos, 22, both of Ogden, were arrested last week as part of that investigation. Police also announced a 32-year-old man had been arrested but did not name him at the time, stating charges against him in the shooting incident were pending.
Ross was charged on Aug. 19 in connection with the crash, with two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, one first-degree felony and one second-degree felony; failing to stop for police and causing a serious injury, a second-degree felony; failing to stop for a serious crash with injuries, a third-degree felony; reckless driving and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors; and driving with a suspended license, a class C misdemeanor.
According to court records, Ross is also awaiting sentencing on at least one other drug-related case.
